The crew ceased complaining of her, and the
officers hove the log every two hours with evident satisfaction. This
was glorious sailing. A steady breeze; the light trade-wind clouds
over our heads; the incomparable temperature of the Pacific,- neither
hot nor cold; a clear sun every day, and clear moon and stars each
night; and new constellations rising in the south, and the familiar
ones sinking in the north, as we went on our course,- "stemming
nightly toward the pole." Already we had sunk the north star and the
Great Bear in the northern horizon, and all hands looked out sharp to
the southward for the Magellan Clouds, which, each succeeding night,
we expected to make. "The next time we see the north star," said one,
"we shall be standing to the northward, the other side of the Horn."
This was true enough, and no doubt it would be a welcome sight; for
sailors say that in coming home from round Cape Horn, and the Cape
of Good Hope, the north star is the first land you make.
These trades were the same that, in the passage out in the
Pilgrim, lasted nearly all the way from Juan Fernandez to the line;
blowing steadily on our starboard quarter for three weeks, without our
starting a brace, or even brailing down the skysails.
Pages:
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519